My friend talked me out of using neoprene for a jacket and she was right

I was dead set on making a rain jacket out of neoprene last month after I saw a picture online. My friend Jenna who does costume sewing for a theater in Austin told me it would be a sweatbox and hard to move in. I ignored her and bought 3 yards of 3mm neoprene for like 40 bucks. After cutting one sleeve and trying to sew it on my home machine I gave up. The fabric kept sticking to my presser foot and the seam looked like a wrinkled mess. Jenna brought over some old swimsuit lining material she had and showed me how to layer it with a breathable shell fabric. The jacket I made after that actually fits good and I can raise my arms without feeling like I'm in a rubber suit. Has anyone else had luck with waterproof fabrics that aren't neoprene for outerwear?

2 comments

2 Comments

grant1304d ago

Neoprene jacket sounds like a wetsuit for land. You just wanted to be a seal.

leer124d ago

Did you read that article about how some brands are making neoprene jackets for actual winter wear now, not just for being a seal lol? I saw this thing online where they were testing them in like -10 weather and the reviews were mixed. @grant130 I get the joke but honestly neoprene has its uses for blocking wind and moisture, even if it does make you look like a mutant animal. I tried one on at a store once and yeah, its stiff and weird but it does trap heat like crazy. Not sure if I'd wear it for style points though, feels more like a functional gear piece than a fashion statement.